Jul 2026· Journal of Nusantara Studies (JONUS)· Vol 11, pp. 1-15· 0 citations· 40 references
TL;DR
The findings highlight that structured coding experience, rather than mere exposure, is essential for fostering both computational thinking and positive technological attitudes, and demonstrate that passive technology access—such as smartphone ownership and heavy internet usage—does not translate into computational proficiency.
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Computational thinking (CT) has emerged as a fundamental competence for problem solving in the digital age. However, the development of CT skills is not determined solely by technical exposure to technology; affective factors such as students’ attitudes toward computers may also play a significant role. This study aimed to examine the relationship between middle school students’ computational thinking skills (CTS) and their attitudes toward computers (ATC), while also investigating how these variables differ according to selected demographic and technological factors.
Methodology: The study employed a correlational survey design and was conducted with 439 sixth- and seventh-grade students from five public middle schools in Mersin, Türkiye. Data were collected using the Attitudes Toward Computers Scale and the Computational Thinking Levels Scale. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis were utilized for data analysis.
Findings: The findings revealed that gender did not produce a significant difference in CTS; however, male students reported significantly higher ATC scores than female students. Prior coding experience was associated with significantly higher levels of both CTS and ATC. In contrast, smartphone ownership and social media use did not lead to significant differences in either variable. Additionally, students with lower daily internet usage demonstrated significantly higher CTS scores than those with heavier internet use. Correlation analysis indicated a moderate positive relationship between CTS and ATC, suggesting that more positive attitudes toward computers are associated with stronger computational thinking skills.
Contributions: This study makes a significant contribution to the literature by empirically challenging the "digital native" assumption, demonstrating that passive technology access—such as smartphone ownership and heavy internet usage—does not translate into computational proficiency. By establishing a robust link between affective dispositions ("will") and cognitive performance ("skill"), the findings highlight that structured coding experience, rather than mere exposure, is essential for fostering both computational thinking and positive technological attitudes.
Keywords: Computational thinking, computer attitudes, Turkish middle school students, coding experience, digital literacy.
Cite as: Uzun, E., Gök, A., & Yakin, İ. (2026). The ‘will’ behind the ‘skill’: The relationship between attitudes toward computers and computational thinking proficiencies of middle school students. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 1-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp1-15
The advancement of artificial intelligence in higher education has transformed academic practices and has increased the need to understand how students’ critical thinking competencies shape their interaction with technology-mediated learning environments. In this context, the present study aimed to examine the predictive associations between critical thinking dimensions, task functionality, and the frequency of artificial intelligence use among university students at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Santo Domingo Campus, using a PLS-SEM model.
The study followed a quantitative approach with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and explanatory-predictive design. The sample consisted of 401 university students selected through intentional and voluntary non-probability sampling. Data were collected using a structured Likert-type questionnaire. SPSS was used for data screening, descriptive statistics, and preliminary reliability analysis. AMOS was used only for a preliminary covariance-based confirmatory factor analysis to examine the factorial structure of the instrument. The final measurement and structural models were estimated using PLS-SEM, with bootstrapping applied to assess the statistical stability of the structural paths.
The findings indicated partial empirical support for the proposed model. Epistemic awareness was positively associated with task functionality, whereas task functionality showed the strongest statistically supported association with the frequency of artificial intelligence use. The remaining direct associations between critical thinking dimensions and task functionality or AI use frequency were not statistically supported.
Critical thinking dimensions, task functionality, and artificial intelligence use constitute an interrelated system within the proposed PLS-SEM model. The findings suggest that epistemic awareness is associated with students’ perceptions of task functionality, and that task functionality is associated with the reported frequency of artificial intelligence use in higher education.
Ángel Ramón Sabando-García, Darwin Maccoll Primero Llacsaguache-Calle, W. R. Villota-Oyarvide et al.· Frontiers in Education· 0 citations
Computational Thinking skills are a fundamental 21st-century skill that is essential in solving mathematical problems, but its success is inseparable from affective factors such asSelf-esteem. This research is important because there are still few in-depth qualitative studies that analyze the CT thinking process from the characteristics ofSelf-esteem. Restriction on categories onlySelf-esteemhigh and low (without medium category) are based on theory Rosenberg (1965). The purpose of this study is to describe the CT ability of students reviewed fromSelf-esteemhigh and low. The method used was qualitative exploratory with the subjects of four students of class IX C SMP Negeri 5 Tasikmalaya who were selected purposively (two withSelf-esteemtall and two withSelf-esteemlow) and able to meet all four CT indicators. Instruments include questionnairesSelf-esteemGuttman scale, written tests on algebraic form stories, and semi-structured interview guidelines. Data collection was carried out through questionnaire distribution, CT tests, and in-depth interviews, while data analysis used the Miles & Huberman analysis framework (reduction, presentation, conclusion drawn) with triangulation techniques. The results showed that cognitively all subjects were able to meet all four CT indicators, but the tendency of their thought processes to differ qualitatively. Students withSelf-esteemhigh tends to indicate a systematic, structured, and efficient thought process (for example, students tend to understand the problem immediately with confidence without difficulty simplifying algebra, or tend to be more careful by double-checking). In contrast, students withSelf-esteemtend to be nervous, afraid of making mistakes, read questions repeatedly, and hesitating in determining patterns, and also tend to panic at the beginning, forget formulas, and have time to ask friends. Implications,Self-esteemplays more role in shaping the quality of computational thinking experiences than simply determining the achievement of cognitive indicators
This study examined the relationship between students’ perception of teachers’ Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) and motivation to learn science, with physics anxiety serving as a moderating variable. Using a descriptive-correlational quantitative research design, the study involved Grade 12 senior high school students as respondents. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, multiple regression, and moderation analysis through simple slope analysis. The findings revealed that students perceived their teachers’ TPACK to be very high and that their motivation to learn science was also high. However, students also demonstrated high levels of physics anxiety. Correlation and regression analyses showed that Instructional Representation and Strategies (IRS) and Knowledge of Students’ Understanding (KSU) positively predicted motivation, while Technology Integration and Application (TIA) negatively predicted motivation. Furthermore, moderation analysis revealed that physics anxiety significantly moderates the relationship between perceived teachers’ TPACK and motivation to learn science. Specifically, the positive effect of teachers’ TPACK on motivation weakened as students’ physics anxiety increased. The study concluded that effective technological, pedagogical, and content instructional competencies enhance students’ motivation, but high physics anxiety may diminish the positive impact of teachers’ TPACK on motivation to learn science. These findings indicate that even though the enhancement of teachers' TPACK alone might not be enough to maintain the motivational level of students for science, there is also a need for the adoption of instructional and psycho-social approaches that assist in minimizing the students' anxiety about physics, thus creating a conducive environment for efficient teaching.
Ronaldo T. Tampus Jr., Gina Fe Israel, EdD· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Critical thinking is a fundamental competency in Natural and Social Sciences (IPAS) learning; however, school-based assessment practices remain dominated by conventional techniques that primarily measure learning outcomes and provide limited insight into students’ thinking processes. This study aimed to compare the critical thinking skills of students assessed through authentic and conventional assessment techniques and to determine whether the two approaches produced significantly different outcomes. A quantitative quasi-experimental approach with a nonequivalent control group design was employed. The sample comprised 68 students, including 35 students in the experimental group and 33 students in the control group. Data were collected using an essay-based critical thinking test developed according to the FRISCO indicators: Focus, Reason, Inference, Situation, Clarity, and Overview. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normality and homogeneity tests, N-Gain analysis, and an independent-samples t test. The findings showed that the experimental group achieved a higher mean posttest score than the control group (73.94 vs. 63.00). The data met the assumptions of normality (p > .05) and homogeneity (p = .236), while the independent-samples t test revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups, t = 4.430, p < .001. The N-Gain analysis also indicated greater improvement among students assessed through authentic assessment than among those assessed through conventional assessment. These findings demonstrate that authentic assessment is more effective in supporting the development of students’ critical thinking skills in IPAS learning. This study contributes practical evidence that assessment practices incorporating process-oriented and performance-based tasks can provide a more comprehensive measure of students’ reasoning and strengthen the integration of critical thinking into elementary science and social science instruction.
Much effort is put into helping students at different educational levels develop Computational Thinking (CT) skills. Self-efficacy is important for skill development. It can predict perseverance, engagement and success on educational tasks. We created an instrument to measure self-efficacy of students in higher education for the CT skills abstraction, algorithmic thinking, decomposition, evaluation and generalization. First, 91 candidate items were created by including, adapting and extending items found in the literature. These items were evaluated by experts in the field of CT and education. 54 items remained and to reduce the number of items further, data was collected from 270 students in higher education recruited both through Prolific and a university setting in Costa Rica. Through principle component analysis (PCA) using a subset of 200 responses, the number of items was reduced to 27. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using the remaining responses in the dataset showed the items can be divided into two categories: (1) creating the solution and (2) evaluating the solution. The created instrument can be valuable when assessing CT self-efficacy of students in higher education. With additional validation (e.g. examination of test-retest validity), we believe the scale could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, or decide what interventions should be provided to foster CT skill development.
Imke de Jong, Johan Jeuring, Judith Masthoff· Proceedings of the 2026 Unit...· 0 citations
This study aims to identify teachers’ perceptions of students’ higher-order thinking (H-OT) skills, the characteristics of students who demonstrate these skills, and the factors that foster their development. It also examines whether teachers’ rankings vary by sex, professional seniority, and school type. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was employed. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews informed the development of a ranking-judgment scale. In the quantitative phase, data were collected from 405 teachers working in Türkiye and analyzed using the rank-order judgment scaling method. The findings indicated that creative thinking was ranked as the most important H-OT skill, followed by critical thinking, metacognitive thinking, problem-solving, and analytical thinking. Teachers described students with H-OT skills mainly as multidimensional thinkers, inquisitive, self-confident, and articulate. Parental attitudes, student personality, and social environment emerged as the most influential developmental factors. Group comparisons showed that teachers’ views differed only in selected skills, student profiles, and developmental factors. These findings may inform classroom practices, teacher education, and policy efforts aimed at promoting H-OT skills through inquiry-based learning, school–family cooperation, and enriched learning environments.
Ö. K. Kalkan, Emre Toprak· International Journal of Ass...· 0 citations